CAS
For students graduating in 2017 and after
Creativity-Activity-Service
 CAS is organized around the three strands of creativity, activity and
service defined as follows.
 Creativity—exploring and extending ideas leading to an original or
interpretive product or performance
 Activity—physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle
 Service—collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the
community in response to an authentic need
Aims
 The CAS program aims to develop students who:
enjoy and find significance in a range of CAS experiences
purposefully reflect upon their experiences
identify goals, develop strategies and determine further actions for
personal growth
explore new possibilities, embrace new challenges and adapt to new
roles
actively participate in planned, sustained, and collaborative CAS projects
understand they are members of local and global communities with
responsibilities towards each other and the environment.
Portfolio
 CAS complements a challenging academic program in a holistic way,
providing opportunities for self-determination, collaboration,
accomplishment and enjoyment.
 All CAS students are expected to maintain and complete a CAS portfolio as
evidence of their engagement with CAS.
 Students reflect on CAS experiences at significant moments throughout CAS.
 Completion of CAS is based on student achievement of the seven CAS
learning outcomes.
 Using evidence from their CAS portfolio, students will demonstrate
achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes to the CAS coordinator.
Learning Outcomes
 Student completion of CAS is based on the achievement of the seven
CAS learning outcomes.
 Learning outcomes articulate what a student is able to do at some point
during the CAS program.
 Through meaningful and purposeful CAS experiences, students develop
the necessary skills, attributes and understandings to achieve the seven
CAS learning outcomes.
 Some learning outcomes may be achieved many times, while others
may be achieved less frequently.
Learning Outcomes
 Not all CAS experiences lead to a
CAS learning outcome.
 Students provide evidence in their
CAS portfolio of having achieved
each learning outcome at least
once.
 The evidence of achieving the
seven CAS learning outcomes is
found in students’ reflections.
Learning Outcomes
 LO 1- Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth
 LO 2- Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills
in the process
 LO 3- Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience
 LO 4- Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences
 LO 5- Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively
 LO 6- Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance
 LO 7- Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and actions (use CAS
experiences to understand the ethical systems explored in TOK.)
CAS Project
 Students undertake a CAS project of at
least one month’s duration
 The project must challenge students to
show initiative, demonstrate
perseverance, and develop skills such as
collaboration, problem-solving, and
decision-making.
 The CAS project can address any single
strand of CAS, or combine two or all three
strands.
Meetings with Coordinator
 There are three formal documented
interviews students must have with their CAS
coordinator.
 The first interview is at the beginning of the
CAS program (September)
 The second interview is at the end of the first
year (May)
 The third interview is at the end of the CAS
program (April-senior year)
Student Responsibilities
 Personal engagement is key, as well as
choice and enjoyment of CAS
experiences.
 The ideal is for students to undertake a
variety of CAS experiences on a weekly
basis, for a minimum of 18 months.
 Students must also undertake at least one
CAS project with a minimum duration of
one month.
Student Expectations
 proactive attitude
 clear understanding of CAS
expectations and the purpose of CAS
 explore personal values, attitudes and
attributes (learner profile and the IB
mission statement)
 determine personal goals
 discuss plans for CAS experiences with
the CAS coordinator
 understand and apply the CAS stages
 variety of experiences, some of which
are self-initiated, and at least one CAS
project
 reflect on how personal interests, skills and
talents evolve throughout
 maintain a CAS portfolio and keep records
of CAS experiences including seven CAS
learning outcomes
 understand the reflection process and
identify suitable opportunities to reflect
 demonstrate accomplishments
 communicate with the CAS coordinator
 ensure a suitable balance between
creativity, activity and service
 behave appropriately and ethically.
CAS Experiences
 A CAS experience is a specific
event in which the student engages
with one or more of the three CAS
strands.
 CAS experience can be a single
event or may be an extended series
of events.
 A CAS project is a collaborative
series of sequential CAS experiences
lasting at least one month
CAS Experiences
 A CAS experience must:
 fit within one or more of the CAS
strands
 be based on a personal interest, skill,
talent or opportunity for growth
 provide opportunities to develop the
attributes of the IB learner profile
 not be used or included in the
student’s Diploma course
requirements
CAS Experiences
 To further decide on a CAS experience, the following questions may be
useful:
Will the experience be enjoyable?
Does the experience allow for development of personal interests, skills
and/or talents?
What new possibilities or challenges could the experience provide?
What might be the possible consequences of your CAS experience for
you, others and the environment?
Which CAS learning outcomes may be addressed?
CAS Stages
 The five CAS stages are as follows.
 Investigation: Students identify their interests, skills and talents to be used in
considering opportunities for CAS experiences, as well as areas for personal growth
and development. Students investigate what they want to do and determine the
purpose for their CAS experience. In the case of service, students identify a need they
want to address.
 Preparation: Students clarify roles and responsibilities, develop a plan of actions to be
taken, identify specified resources and timelines, and acquire any skills as needed to
engage in the CAS experience.
 Action: Students implement their idea or plan. This often requires decision-making and
problem-solving. Students may work individually, with partners, or in groups.
CAS Stages
 Reflection: Students describe what happened, express feelings, generate ideas, and
raise questions. Reflection can occur at any time during CAS to further understanding,
to assist with revising plans, to learn from the experience, and to make explicit
connections between their growth, accomplishments, and the learning outcomes for
personal awareness. Reflection may lead to new action.
 Demonstration: Students make explicit what and how they learned and what they
have accomplished, for example, by sharing their CAS experience through their CAS
portfolio or with others in an informal or formal manner. Through demonstration and
communication, students solidify their understanding and evoke response from others.
Creativity
 Creativity in CAS provides students with the opportunity
to explore their own sense of original thinking and
expression.
 Creativity will come from the student’s talents, interests,
passions, emotional responses, and imagination; the
form of expression is limitless.
 This may include visual and performing arts, digital
design, writing, film, culinary arts, crafts and
composition.
 Students are encouraged to move beyond the familiar,
broadening their scope from conventional to
unconventional thinking.
Activity
 Activity promotes lifelong healthy habits related to
physical well-being.
 May include individual and team sports, aerobic exercise,
dance, outdoor recreation, fitness training, and any other
form of physical exertion that purposefully contributes to
a healthy lifestyle.
 Students are encouraged to participate at an
appropriate level and on a regular basis to provide a
genuine challenge and benefit.
 As with all CAS experiences, students reflect purposefully
on their engagement and look for moments of personal
significance or inspiration as a call for reflection.
Service
 The aim is for students to understand their capacity to
make a meaningful contribution to their community
and society.
 Through service, students develop and apply
personal and social skills in real-life situations involving
decision-making, problem-solving, initiative,
responsibility, and accountability for their actions.
 Service is often seen as one of the most transforming
elements of CAS by promoting students’ selfawareness, offering diverse occasions for interactions
and experiences and opportunities for internationalmindedness.
Service Learning
 Service learning is the development and application
of knowledge and skills towards meeting an
identified community need.
 All forms of service should involve investigation,
preparation and action that meets an identified
need.
 Reflection on significant experiences throughout
informs problem-solving and choices; demonstration
allows for sharing of what has taken place.
Four Types of Service Action
 Direct service: Student interaction involves
people, the environment or animals. EX: oneon-one tutoring, developing a garden in
partnership with refugees, or working in an
animal shelter.
 Indirect service: Students do not see the
recipients of indirect service, but they have
verified their actions will benefit the community
or environment. EX: re-designing a non-profit
organization’s website, writing original picture
books to teach a language, or nurturing tree
seedlings for planting.
Four Types of Service Action
 Advocacy: Students speak on behalf of a cause or
concern to promote action on an issue of public interest.
EX: initiating an awareness campaign on hunger,
performing a play on replacing bullying with respect, or
creating a video on sustainable water solutions.
 Research: Students collect information through varied
sources, analyze data, and report on a topic of
importance to influence policy or practice. EX: conduct
environmental surveys to influence their school,
contribute to a study of animal migration, compile
effective means to reduce litter in public spaces, or
conduct social research by interviewing people on
topics such as homelessness, unemployment or isolation.
CAS Project
 A CAS project is a collaborative, well-considered series of sequential CAS experiences,
engaging students in one or more of the CAS strands of creativity, activity, and
service.
 CAS students must be involved in at least one CAS project during their CAS program.
 The primary purpose of the CAS project is to ensure participation in sustained
collaboration.
 A CAS project can address any single strand of CAS, or combine two or all three
strands.
 All CAS projects are designed with a defined purpose and goals. Individual students
identify one or more learning outcomes to further guide their role and responsibilities in
the CAS project.
 A minimum of one month is recommended for a CAS project, from planning to
completion.
CAS Project Examples
 Creativity: A student group plans, designs and creates a mural.
 Activity: Students organize and participate in a sports team including training sessions
and matches against other teams.
 Service: Students set up and conduct tutoring for people in need.
 Creativity and activity: Students choreograph a routine for their marching band.
 Service and activity: Students plan and participate in the planting and maintenance
of a garden with members of the local community.
 Service and creativity: Students identify that children at a local school need
backpacks and subsequently design and make the backpacks out of recycled
materials.
 Creativity, activity, and service: Students rehearse and perform a dance production
for a community retirement home.
Reflection
 Reflection is central to building a deep
and rich experience in CAS.
 gain a greater understanding of self and
others
 Reflection allows students to:
 place experience in a larger context
 deepen learning
 generate relevant ideas and questions
 consider relevance of experience
 consider improvements in individual and
collective choices and actions
 explore personal and group values
 recognize the application of
knowledge, skills, and attributes
 identify strengths and areas for
development
 transfer prior learning to new situations
 generate and receive constructive
feedback
 develop the ongoing habit of thoughtful,
reflective practice.
Reflection
 Students are not expected to reflect on
every CAS experience; they should identify
moments worthy of reflection.
 Reflection is most meaningful when
recognized as a personal choice
 Students decide which reflections will be
placed in their CAS portfolio.
 Students should include reflections in their
CAS portfolio that give evidence to
achieving each of the seven CAS learning
outcomes.
Reflection
 Reflection is:
 honest, personal
 done in many different ways
 sometimes difficult, sometimes easy
 sometimes creative
 building self-awareness
 necessary for learning
 what I did, combined with how I felt
 surprising
 helpful for planning
 done alone or with others
 Reflection is not:
 forced
 right or wrong, good or bad
 marked or graded, to be judged by others
 difficult
 copying what someone else said
 predictable
 only a summary of what happened
 done to please someone else
 a waste of time
 about thoughts, feelings, and ideas
 only written, only discussion
 adding perspective
 only led by teachers
Portfolio
 The portfolio is evidence of engagement, and shows
achievement of the seven CAS learning outcomes.
 During the three CAS interviews the CAS portfolio is
discussed and encouragement and advice is given.
 Notes and recommendations from these consultations are
documented and included in the student’s CAS portfolio.
 Individual student learning styles will dictate the type of
portfolio used: digital, online, diary, journal, scrapbook or
a blended approach.
 There is no preferred method for the portfolio. Students
may create a scrapbook, vlog, blog, files, or website.
Portfolio: Profile, Experiences, Evidence
 Profile: include interests, skills and talents, plans and goals. At the start of CAS,
map interests against the three strands of CAS to identify possible CAS
experiences. Identify both short-term and long-term goals.
 Experiences: This section chronicles the student’s journey in CAS, incorporating
a variety of reflections, learning moments, personal achievements, and how
they have utilized the CAS stages.
 Evidence: In this section, students collect the evidence of their involvement
and achievements in CAS. Evidence could include planning documents,
letters, emails, certificates, acknowledgments of participation and
achievements, photographs, videos, and so on. Students could correlate their
involvement with the CAS learning outcomes and may extend their thoughts
to future ambitions within and outside CAS.
First meeting
 You must see me before the end of the month for your first
meeting!
 I am available before school and during 2nd lunch.
 Bring your goals, ideas, and questions.
 Go to my website: http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/Domain/2709
 download and read “CAS guide-juniors”